Losing pigeons

[Murray]

This is not a new topic, but one that can perhaps be looked at again. The heavy loses in training.

I mention it because I was reading Ad Schaerlaekens' blog this morning and he discusses it. It seems that disastrous losses are all too common in Europe too, just as they are here in Oz. I remember that Andy had a catastrophic trainer last year, a bloke who lives near me took 50 to the first toss and got 9 home , and while I did not have a crash as such, I kept bleeding pigeons all season and didn't have very many left. I have heard stories of blokes dropping hundreds. It seems to be the same everywhere.

Now, Ad says he has talked to several racers in Holland and Belgium who have not had heavy losses. All of them say the same thing. They give the young birds lots of freedom. Not just an hour of exercise and away. They think the birds learn to deal with the hawks and become more independent. I can see the value in that.
But.
I know Andy gives his pigeons lots of freedom, and had a shocker of a trainer. And not just young birds. I am not saying it's wrong, but there still must be more to it, I think.

[Andy]

As you say Murray my disaster was against most of these points. My birds are/were virtually on open loft. They were old birds and most had been raced across the channel up to 350 miles. Some say it’s due to the amount of medication used nowadays, mine get none. I lost 20 out of 24 from 18 miles. The only thing is that they had been raced South and I was training North. Not that that should make any difference really. I trained 35 youngsters this year on four occasions, admittedly from only 10 miles, but on each occasion they beat me home and I didn’t lose one. I heard of some really bad trainers from other people during the season. I do think that people breed far to many birds and a lot of poor quality one’s thinking that numbers will beat the hawks. Although the hawks are definitely a big problem, they can’t be the cause of all the problems.
The old birds last year were raced South at the start of last season before being turned North. They had no training at all before or during the season and although I lost a few it wasn’t too many.

[Trev]

As Andy says I think fanciers breed far too many youngsters from unproven pigeons these days and as fanciers keep far more pigeons than they would have 20+ years ago there are bound to be far greater losses. I also think pigeons aren't prepared properly and that people leave it too late before starting to train youngsters.
The increase in bird of prey numbers certainly isn't helping but I am a firm believer that modern technology isn't helping either as there are far too many radio waves flying around interfering with their homing abilities. There has been concerns over the past years over the rapid decline in the number of migratory birds and I believe that part of the reason for this is the same.

[pvdmr]

Don’t know..2 years before I packed it all in,I changed Nothing…in my Routine...my youngsters around the loft they ranged and raced around the sky until I got them in.Then I took them to my 1st training spot the same spot I took all my other youngsters over the years 7 miles.. then all went down hill I watched them on release heading south previously they used to circle 2/3 times then flying north. ( I thought oh well ) l lost about 16 out of 30 birds my birds were well bred and wanted for nothing (Fit as a fiddle their flesh was fine no sneezing etc etc,some mates of mine had the same loses some even heavier!! Weird what’s going on
Exactly the same happened a year later I bred around 40 youngsters all fit …1st toss I lost around 24 same again with other Good flyers
There droppings were fine No youngbird sickness etc
That was it I thought what’s the point it broke my heart + quite a few pigeon men had sadly passed on and some members packed it in.
I’m still scratching my head….weather conditions/atmospheric I don’t know I will leave you to it

[Andy]

Don’t know..2 years before I packed it all in,I changed Nothing…in my Routine...my youngsters around the loft they ranged and raced around the sky until I got them in.Then I took them to my 1st training spot the same spot I took all my other youngsters over the years 7 miles.. then all went down hill I watched them on release heading south previously they used to circle 2/3 times then flying north. ( I thought oh well ) l lost about 16 out of 30 birds my birds were well bred and wanted for nothing (Fit as a fiddle their flesh was fine no sneezing etc etc,some mates of mine had the same loses some even heavier!! Weird what’s going on
Exactly the same happened a year later I bred around 40 youngsters all fit …1st toss I lost around 24 same again with other Good flyers
There droppings were fine No youngbird sickness etc
That was it I thought what’s the point it broke my heart + quite a few pigeon men had sadly passed on and some members packed it in.
I’m still scratching my head….weather conditions/atmospheric I don’t know I will leave you to it

Such a shame to hear Stu. You were a top flyer with years of experience. There seems to be no real answer to what’s happening.